Automatic wagon-brake.



No-. 627,645. Patented June 27, I899.

, L. J. KLEIN.

AUTOMATIC WAGON BRAKE.

(Application -fl1ed- Jan. 23, 1899.)

(No Model.)

m: NORRXS PEYERS co, moroumo, WASHINGTON, u. c

2 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS KLEIN, OF BAIRDSTOWN, MISSOURI.

AUTOMATIC WAGON-BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 627,645, dated June 27,1899. Application filed January 23, 1899. Serial No. 703,150. (Nomodel.)

T to whom it mag concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS J. KLEIN, a citi- 'zen of the United States,and a resident of Bairdstown, Sullivan county, State of Missouri, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Wagon-Brakes;

and my preferred manner of carrying out the invention is set forth inthe following full,

' clear, and exact description, terminating with tongue or pole by whichthe vehicle is drawn. I

claims particularly specifying the novelty.

This invention relates to brakes for carriages and Wagons, and moreespecially to that class thereof known as automatic brakes; and theobject of the invention is to produce means for holding such a brake offthe wheels when desired, as in backing.

To this end the invention consists in the specific details ofconstruction hereinafter more fully set forth and as illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, wherein-- Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of awagon constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a centrallongitudinal section of the same, showing the hook in use in the act oflocking the brake against application to the wheels.

Referring to the said drawings, the letter B designates the body of thecarriage or wagon, (here the latter, having the usual runninggear, withwheels W and axles A, and P is the It is obvious that the same mighteasily be a pairof thills, so that the whole could be drawn by a singleanimal without departing from f the spirit of my invention, and for thisrea- 1 son the same is'not herein illustrated.

Coming now moreparticularly to the present invention, 1 is thebrake-beam, having shoes 2, as usual, adjacent therear wheels, and thisbeam is supported in any approved manner, asby chains or 1inks3. 4 is apulley on the rear axle, over which passes a cord, rope, chain, or strap6, leading from the center of said brake-beam. Thence it preferablypasses along between the hounds 7, under a pulley Son the front axle,along beneath the tongue P, branches at 9, leads under pulleys 10 onsaid tongue, and finally extends upward,-as at 1 1, and isv attached tothe polestrap of the team of horses in a manner which will be clearlyunderstood. By this construction in descending a hill or when the horsesare pulled forcibly to v,the rear by the driver the strap 6 is drawnupon, and by its arrangement with respect to the several pulleys shownit draws the brake-beam to the rear and applies the shoes against therear wheels, the force of application being more powerful as the team ismore forcibly reined in or backed. For this reason a lady or timid"person can well drive a team attached to a vehicle provided with thisimproved brake, as there is little danger of accident in descend 'ing'hills; but there are numerous devices in use for the automaticapplication of the brakes under similar conditions, and the chief meritof my present invention consists in the means I employ for preventingthe application of the brakes when their use would destroy the object tobe attained-as, for instance, when it is intended to back the team. Tothis end, 20 is a beam pivotally supported at its forward end, as at 21,beneath the wagonbody and sustained in its normal or elevated positionby a spring 22, preferably also connected with said body. At its rearend depend rods, bars, or prongs, (two in number,)

which constitute hooks 23, so located as to pass down in rear of thebrake-beam when the beam 20 isdepressed at its rear end, while saidbrake-beam stands forward. For this purpose any suitable mechanism maybe employed, although'in the present instance I have shown a rod 25,passing downward through the bottom of the body, resting at its lowerend on the'pivoted beam 20 and provided at its upper end with afoot-piece 26.

- The driver when it is desired to back the team or for other reasons itis undesirable that the brake shall be applied has but to place his footon the foot-piece 26 and press the same, so as to engage the hooks 23 infront of the brake-beam 1, and the object is attained.

I have not illustrated herein the modifications necessary to adapt thepresent-invention to a one-horse vehicle-because such modifications areobvious, as also are those changes which will readily appear to theskilled manufacturer and all of which come within the spirit of myinvention. For instance,a spring 30 may be employed to normally throwthe construction will be apparent.

\Vhat is claimed as new is 1. In an automatic brake, the combinationwith the runninggear, brake beam, and shoes; of a strap connected withthe horses collar and led over pulleys to said beam so as to apply thebrake when the horse is drawn in, upright hooks depending in position topass in rear of the brake-beam when the lat-- ter stands off the wheels,and means for depressing said hooks at will, as and for the purpose setforth.

2. In an automatic brake, the combination with the running-gear,brake-beam, shoes thereon, and a spring for holding the latter normallyoil the wheels; of means for applying the brake when the horse is drawnin, a

LOUIS J. KLEIN.

W i tncsscs:

D. F. CALFEE, MINNIE WOLFE.

